Package binding tool



1 Dec. 7, 1943. .1. H. LESLIE, 2p

PACKAGE BINDING TOOL Filed June 6, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet l 7,1943? J. H. LESLIE, 2D 2,336,264.

PACKAGE BINDING TOOL Filed June 6,' 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 J. H. LESLIE, 2D PACKAGE BINDING TOOL Filed Ju'ne .1941

7 Sheets-Sheet 4 dni -zeazz'e z 1943- J. H. LESLIE, 2D I 2,336,264

PACK AGE BINDING TOOL Filed June 6, 1941 7 Sheets-Slieei; 5

1477 A 11mm,

1943- r J. H. LESLIE, 2n 2,336,264

PACKAGE BINDING TOOL yaw-w w Patented Dec. 7, 1943 FFEQE PACKAGE BINDING TGOL John H. Leslie, H, Winnetka, Ill assign-or to Signode Steel Strapping Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application June 6, 1941, Serial No. 396,893

(l. ill-9.1)

2 Claims.

My invention relates generally to package binding tools and, more particularly, to an improved manually operable package binding tool for tensioning and sealing metal straps encircling packages or groups-of packages.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved manually operable package binding tool, which has improved automatic means for feeding metal sealing sleeves to the tool and which has a single handle for tensioning a metal strap placed around a bundle and operating the tool to apply a sealing sleeve to the overlapping strap ends and to deform the sleeve and strap ends to produce a strong joint that firmly holds the strap ends together.

It is another object of my'invention to provide an improved package binding tool of the above mentioned type having a magazine for retaining a plurality of metal sealing sleeves and having a rugged, durable and reliably operating ejector mechanism for automatically feeding a single sleeve to the sealing mechanism incidental to each operation of the tool.

It is another object to provide a manually operable magazine type package binding tool having improved means for facilitating the filling of the magazine with metal sealing sleeves.

A further object is to provide a package binding tool of the above mentioned type with improved means for retaining the metal strap to be joined in the proper position for tensioning and sealing.

Other objects will appear from the following description, reference being had to the following drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of my improved package binding tool, showing in full lines the various parts thereof when they are in an inoperative position and in broken linesthe position of the various moving parts thereof when they are in an intermediate position;

Fig. 2 is a side view similar to Fig. 1 with the working parts in the position assumed in applying the seal and completing the joint;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of my improved strap retaining mechanism, taken along the plane of the line 1-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig, 8 is a cross-sectional view of the strap tensioning mechanism, taken along the plane of the line 8--8 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a right side view of the strap tensioning mechanism and strap retaining means of my improved tool;

Fig. 10 is a detail cross-sectional View taken along the plane of the line lt-iil of Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a detail cross-sectional view taken along the plane of the line ll-H of Fig. 1;

Fig. 12 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing the seal magazine, sealing jaws, and tensioning wheel in the position assumed after the seal has been applied;

Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional detail View taken along the planes indicated by the broken line ii -23 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 14 is a View similar to Fig. 13 taken along the planes indicated by the broken line l4l4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along the planes indicated by the broken line l5-l5 of Fig. 3; 1

Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional detail View taken along the plane of the line lS-lt of Fig. 1 and showing the construction of the seal magazine of my invention; and

Fig. 17 is a cross-sectional detail view taken along the planes indicated by the broken line iill of Fig. 13. i

It is believed that the construction of my improved strapping too-l will be more easily understood if its operation is first briefly reviewed.

Brief description of operation Preliminary to positioning the tool for tensioning and sealing a binder strap encircling a package, the handle 2 3 of the tool is moved to position the working parts as indicated by the full lines in Fig. 1'. The tool is then located so that the fiat under surface of the base or main frame 36 rests against the package and the strap 22, shown in 3 lies in a channel 2 5 formed in the base 3t. When the tool and strap 22 are in their proper relative positions, the underlying free end of the strap is located immediately above a knurled gripper 25 and the overlying portion need not bescvered from the main supply of strap. A-latch'28 is then tripped'to allow a spring'to move the'handle 32 of the clampingmechanism in a counterclockwise direction.

Incidental to the movement of the handle 32 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2, a pair of sharp toothed tensioning wheels 34 are moved downwardly firmly to engage the upper surface of the overlying strap portion and to press the underlying strap end firmly against the knurled surface of the gripper 26. Simultaneously therewith, a camming lever 36, shown clearly in Fig. '7, moves out of engagement with a cam surface 38 on a strap retaining lever 40 and allows a spring 42 to rotate the lever 40 to move a retractible abutment 44, formed integrally therewith, into a position opposite the overlapping strap portions, retainin the strap in the channel 24 in the base 30.

The band may then be tensioned by moving the operating handle 20 from the position indicated by the full lines in Fig. 1 to the intermediate position indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 1, returning the handle to the position indicated by the full lines, and repeating the operation as many times as is necessary. As the handle 20 is moved from the position indicated by the broken lines to the position indicated by the full lines,

feeding and tensioning wheels 34 to slide the upper portion of the strap over the lower end thereof, thereby tensioning the strap. A holding pawl52, which is secured to the base 30 of the tool, prevents reversal of the wheels 48, 34 and retains the strap under tension. After the strap has been tensioned, a seal is applied tothe overlapping strap portions, and the strap and seal are deformed to produce a strong and rigid joint.

To apply the seal, the handle is moved from the intermediate position indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 1 to the position indicated in Fig. 2. As is shown in Fig. 3, the handle 20 rotates about a shaft 54 affixed to the auxiliary frame 50 of the tool, and as it rotates, causes a pinion 56 to similarly rotate. The pinion 55 engages a rack 53 formed on the operating slide 66 of the machine, causing the operating slide 66 to move downwardly in the auxiliary frame 50 of the tool.

As the operating slide 60 moves downwardly, a pair of links 62 carried by the end thereof moves a pair of sealing jaws 10 toward each other to bend a channel shaped sheet metal sleeve 64 around the overlapping strap portions and, upon further movement, to deform the sleeve and strap to form a rigid joint. A sliding magazine gate 66, having a sharp chisel shaped cutting edge 68 formed on the lower end thereof, is carried by the sealing jaws 10. As the sealing jaws Ill move together to form a joint, the sliding gate 66 moves downwardly past the sleeve ejecting opening 12 ina sleeve magazine frame 80 and forces the cutting edge 68 against the overlying portion of the strap, producing a kerf across the upper surface thereof. When the working parts are returned to the position indicated by the full lines in Fig. 1, the overlying portion of the strap may be bent upwardly and caused to break along the kerf formed by the cutting edge 68.

As the operating slide 60 moves downwardly, an abutment 14 formed thereon engages and carries with it an ejector actuating spacer 16 to rotate a pair of magazine ejector levers -8| secured to opposite ends of the spacer 16, thereby causing a magazine ejector 18 to move out of engage.- ment with the bottom sleeve 64 in the magazine frame 80, and compressing an ejector spring 62. A magazine follower 84 presses against the sleeves 64 in the magazine frame 80 and moves the lower sleeve in the magazine into a position directly opposite the ejector 18. As the operating handle is returned from; the joint completion position shown in Fig. 2 to the intermediate position indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 1, the pinion 56 moves the operating slide 60 upwardly and the abutment 14 moves away from spacer 76. The ejector spring 82 then causes the ejector levers 8| to push the bottom sleeve 64 in the magazine frame against the sliding gate 66. After the sealing jaws 16 have opened to release themselves from the strap 22, further movement of the jaws moves the sliding gate 66 upwardly away from the lower sleeve 64 and the spring 82 operates the ejector 76 to snap the sleeve from the magazine into position between the sealing jaws 10. The gripping mechanism handle 32 is moved from the position in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 1, which moves the feed wheels 34 away from the strap to release it, and held in that position by the latch 28 so that the tool may be moved away from the strap.

The construction of the base and auxiliary frame The base or main frame 66 has a fiat under surface adapted for positioning on the package to be bound, and a handle 85 is integrally formedl with the base to strengthen it and facilitate the positioning and operation of the tool. A chan-' nel 24 is formed longitudinally in the base 30, and is open along the side thereof so that a strap may be inserted laterally therein. A main strap supporting surface 31 engages the under-, surface of the strap, and a strap engaging l ng 86 is attached to the base and spaced from the; surface 3|. When the package presents a large; flat surface for supporting the tool, the strands; located above the lug 86 and the lug secures the; tool from rotating when force is exerted upon; the handle 20 to produce a joint. Otherwise; thg strap is passed under the lug. Metal pegs.- 88; adjacent the proper position of the inner strap. edge, locate the strap properly.

The base 30 has a recess 90' formed; therein to receive the tensioning mechanism. Metal pegs 92, having flattened sides; which engage and position the strap, being; tensioned. are held. in place in holes in the base. 3:0 located one on either side of the knurled; anvil 26.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 12 an opening 94 is formed in the base directly under the sealing jaws 10 when they are in position to seal a strap, therebypermitting free action of the jaws. The portion of the base 30 located immediately below the cutting edge 68 of the sliding gate 66 is preferably constructed of a metal which will withstand the action of the cutting edge withp out damage.

The auxiliary frame 56 comprises a pair of side plates 96. A metal spacer 98 forms one end, ofthe auxiliary frame 50, and the side plates 36v, are retained thereto by safety screws iii-2;, The, other end of the auxiliary frame is formed by the zine frame so into drilledand tappe d holes. in;

the gate guide spacer I06 to retain these various,- parts in position. A pair of safetyscrews E66,; retain the sides plates 96 directly to the maga-. zine frame 86. i V V 7 The strap retaining and tensioning mechanism Referring to Figs. 7, 8, and 9, the operation of the strap retaining and tensioning mechanism is,

. aleverIIB.

of a shaft H2 and held in ratchet wheels at and 56 so that I20 is flattened and threaded. I26 has an axial hole which closely fits over the wire coil spring I23 cap nut I29 and lock washer I32.

, formed with the cap I39 are the camming lever .arcu

controlled by a handle 32 attached to the endof The lever Ii!) is secured to one end position by a hexagonally headed bolt II i threaded into a drilled and tapped hole in the end of the shaft I I 2. One end of the shaft II2 has opposed flat surfaces milled thereon, and these flat surfaces engage corresponding flat surfaces forming sides of a hole formed in the lever IIil so that rotation of the lever I I rotates the shaft I I2.

The side plate 96 of the auxiliary frame 5i! are secured to the base 32 by two flanged cylindrical sleeves H6 and I28 which are free to ro- 'tate. Integrally formed on the shaft IIZ is an eccentric collar I eccentric to the axis of the ,shaft. The sharp toothed tensioningv wheels 34 and ratchet wheel 43 are assembled on a hub I22, which rotates on the collar I26, and ha fiat surfaces on its periphery. These fiat surfaces engage corresponding flat surfaces forming sides of the central openings of the tensioning and rotation of the ratchet wheel 48 causes the hub I22 to rotate, therebyrotating the tensioning wheels 3 The angular position of the eccentric collar I 26 with respect to the axis of the lever H0 is such that when the lever I in is in the position indicated by the full lines in Fig. 9, the axis of the collar is approximately horizontally opposite the axis of the shaft, and when the lever is in the position indicated by the broken lines the axis of the collar is below the axis of the shaft. Thus, the sharp toothed tensioning wheels may be raised away from or lowered into contact with the strap being sealed by movement of the handle 32.

A concentric collar I2d is formed on the end of the shaft II2 to which the lever Hi1 is secured.

- .The diameter of the concentric collar I24 is such that its periphery extends past all portions of the periphery of the eccentric collar 128. This construction allows the shaft H2 to be installed by sliding it into place through the bushing H8. The concentric collar I213 rotates in the bushing H8, and the end of the collar abuts against the hub I22 to insure the proper positioning of the shaft II 2.

The end of the shaft I I2 opposite the collar A flanged spool flattened end. One end of a is secured to the auxiliary frame 59 by inserting I it into a hole drilled therein. The spring iscoiled around the spool I26 and the other end of the spring is similarly secured in a hole drilled in thespool I26. The sprin i28 is positioned and .tensioned to exert a resilient force on the spool I26 which tends to cause the handle 32 to move from the position indicated by the full lines in i Fig. 9 to the position indicated by the broken lines, thereby causing the sharp-toothed tension ing wheels 34 firmly to engage the upper surface tened end of the shaft I I2, is placed over. the

spool I26 and secured in position by a hexagonal Integrally 36. and a stop peg I 34. When the handle 32 is positioned so that the strap retaining and tenting hole in the base I38 integrally formed in the base 39 of the tool. The pin I36 is reduced in diameter and threaded at one end and has a screwdriver kerf MB in the opposite end. The threaded end is screwed into a drilled and tapped hole I 12 in one of the brackets I33. A hole ltd is drilled and ccunterdrilled in the base 35) between the brackets I 38 and immediately below an arm of the lever 28. The coil spring d2, carrying a capMfi which engages an arm of the lever 4!], tends to move the retractable abutment id into its strap retaining position.

The latch 28, which holds the lever H0 out of strap tensioning position, is pivotally secured to the base 3i! by a screw 55?. The latch 28 is resiliently retained in position to engage a latching urface M8 on the lever arm IIil by a coil spring lei As is shown more clearly in Fig. 10, a hole E52 is drilled through the latch I6, and a second hole laid, with its axis at right angles to the hole I52, is drilled and counter-drilled into the latch 23. The spring IE0 is then placed in the counter-drilled portion of the hole I54 and a spring follower pin I58, having a shank corre-- spending in diameter to the drilled portion of the hole !54, and a head corresponding in diameter to the counter-drilled portion of the hole {5 3, is placed in position with its shank passing through the center of the spring I 59 into the drilled portion of the hole I ii. A peg r58 is then inserted through the hole I52 into a tightly fit- The head of the follower pin :58 rests against the peg I58, holding the spring Hit in compression and retaining the latch 28 in position to engage the latching surface of the lever H9. The peg I53 engages the walls of the hole I thereby'acting as a stop and preventing excessive movement of the latch 28.

The lever Iii? has a camming surface I69 formed thereon and terminating at the latching surface'l t As the handle 32 is moved into the position indicated by the full lines in Fig. 9, the camming surface I52 engages the nose I62 of the latch 28, causing it to rotate against the spring I55). When the camming surface I66 has passed the nose I82 of the latch 22, the spring I59 causes the latch to engage the latching surface I48.

From the above it is seen that as the handle 32 is moved into the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 9, the cam arm 36 engages the cam surface 38 to cause the lever 68 to retract the abutment t l so that a strap may be slidably inserted into or removed from the channel 24 in the base 30, and the tensioning wheels 34 are not in contact with the strap. As the handle 32 is so moved, the cam surface I60 engages the nose I52 of the latch 23, to cause the latch 28 to trip itself and retain the strap retaining and tensioning mechanism in this position.

When a strap to be tensioned and sealed is placed in the channel 24, the latch 23 may be manually tripped to allow the coil spring I28 to rotate the shaft H2, thereby moving the ten- 48. The washer ment with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 48 by a spring I68 coiled around the stud I41 and secured at its opposite ends to the pawl 52 and the base 30, respectively.

The actuating pawl it i pivotally secured in place by a pin I'Ill which passes through holes in both side plates 96 of the auxiliary frame 50. Spacing washers I12, I14 are interposed between the sides of the pawl 46 and the inner sides of the plates 96 which form the auxiliary frame 50. A coil spring I'IB holds the pawl 46 in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel [12 is of large enough diameter to engage the base 30 when the auxiliary frame 50 is in the position shown in Fig. 3, thereby acting as a stop to prevent excessive movement of the auxiliary frame 50, while the washer I14 is of smaller diameter to allow space for the spring I'IIi. Thus as the auxiliary frame is oscillated'about the shaft II2, the pawl 46 causes the tensioning wheels 34 to rotate in a trap tensioning direction and the pawl 52 prevents its reversal.

The knurled gripper 2'6 is externally threaded and has three kerfs, 60 apart, formed upon its under surface. It is screwed into a drilled and tapped hole in the bottom of the base 3!! directly below the tensioning wheels 34. The ends of a retaining wire I'I8 are inserted into a pair of holes I80 adjacent the lower end of the drilled and tapped hole in the base 30 and the wire H8 is pressed into one of the kerfs of the anvil 26 to prevent it from being accidentally turned.

The operating handle 26 is channel-shaped in cross section and the end about which it rotates is vertically slotted. When the handle 2B is in the position relative to the auxiliary frame 59, shown in the full and broken lines of Fig. 1, it is retained in this position by a resilient detent. As is most clearly shown in Fig. 11, this resilient detent comprises a pair of round nosed pins I82 carried by the sides of the handle 28 and engageable with a pair of frusto-conical holes I84 formed in the side plates 96 of the auxiliary frame 50 of the tool. A spring I86 is interposed between and held in compression by the heads of the pins I82, and the spring IBt and heads of the pins I82 are enclosed by a sleeve I88 interposed between the sides of the handle 20. A threaded bushing I99, which is threaded into a drilled and tapped hole in one side of the handle 20, provides for the installation of the detent assembly.

As is shown in Fig. 3, a web I92, connecting the two sides of the handle 259, carries an adjustable threaded stop pin I34, the tip of which is engageable with the frame spacer 98. A hexagonal hole I95 is formed in the opposite end of the stop pin I94 so that it may be threaded inwardly or outwardly in a drilled and tapped hole I98 in the web I32. After the pin has been adjusted to engage the spacer 98 when the detent pins I82 engage the holes I84, it may be locked in position by tightening a hexagonal nut 202.

Thus, when it is desired to tension a binding strap, the overlapping strap ends ar placed in the channel 24 formed in the base 33, and the latch 28 is manually tripped to cause the sharp-toothed tensioning wheels E l to firmly press against the upper surface of the strap and the under surface of the lower end of the strap topress firmly against the knurled gripper 26. The handle 26 and auxiliary frame Eli are moved into the intermediate position indicated by the broken lines in Fig. l. The handle 20 is then moved into the position indicated by the full lines in Fig. 1, causing the pawl A5 to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel and rotate the tensioning wheels 34. The sharp teeth of the tensioning wheels 34 press into the upper surface of the strap, causing it to move in the direction of rotation of the wheel, while the knurled end of the gripper 25 presses into the under surface of the lower end of the strap. Thus the rotation of the tensioning wheels causes the upper portion of the strap to slide over the anchored lower portion thereof, tensioning the strap on the package being bound. Considerabl force may be exerted upon the handle 20 during this operation, inasmuch as the stop pin I94 firmly engages the spacer 98 when the strap is being tensioned. The handle 23 may then be returned to the position indicated by the broken lines in Fig. l, and during this movement of the handle thedetent pins I82 retain the handle 20 in its proper position with respect to th auxiliary frame 50. While the handle is being returned to the intermediate position and the pawl 46 is inoperative, the pawl 52 amxed to the base 30 engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel 68 to prevent the tensioning wheels 34- from reversing and allowing the strap to loosen.

The sealing mechanism Referring to Fig. 3, the handle 20 is pivotally secured to the side plates 96 of the auxiliary frame '50 by a bolt 54 which passes through a pair of holes in the side plates 96 of the auxiliary frame 50 and through corresponding holes in the end of the lever 2%. The bolt 54, which acts as a shaft, has a hexagonal head which is placed between two locking lugs 209, integrally formed on one side of the auxiliary frame 53, to prevent it from rotating as the tool is operated. A pinion 55 is located between the sides of the handle 20 and is free to rotate upon the bolt 54. The pinion 56 is positively caused to rotate with the handle 20 by a pin 206, retained by holes in the sides of the handle 20, which engages a deformation in the periphery of the pinion 56.

As is shown in Fig. 6, the operating slide 60 reciprocates vertically between the side plates 96 of the auxiliary frame 58 and is guided in opposed channels 268 formed therein. As is shownclearly in Fig. 3, a rack 58 is formed on the slide'fill and the pinion 56 engages this rack to reciprocate the slide 60 in the auxiliary frame 50.

Referring now to Figs. 3, 12, 13, 14, and 17, the sealing jaws III rotate about a jaw pin ZIB. The ends of the pin 2H] are sharply reduced in diameter to form shoulders 25?. and are retained in holes 2I4 and 2I6, drilled in the spacer 98 and the magazine gate guiding spacer Illll, respectively, with the shoulders engaging the opposed surfaces of the spacers Q8 and IE9, respectively,-

to prevent the pin 2H3 from sliding from position. The sealing jaws 16 are each formed integrally with a pair of plate shaped levers 220 which are shaped and disposed so that the levers 220 of the two jaws interlock on the pin 219. Holes are formed in each lever 229 to accommodate a pin 2H] and pivotally secure the jaws I0 in place. The end of each lever opposite the corresponding sealing jaw 10 has a hole formed therein to receive a pin 2 I3 which attaches each lever 220 to a jaw actuating link 62. Each link '62 is placed between the levers 220 attached to seal 64 in position and prevent it from buckling when the joint is being formed. Brackets 224 are integrally formed with the anvil to retain it in position. A hole 226 is formed in each bracket 224 to accommodate the jaw pin 2| 0, and the brackets 224 span the sealing jaw levers 228. As is shown in Fig. 13, the faces of the sealing jaws "lfl'are in general of a channel shaped cross section. Two strap deforming lugs 228, shown in Fig. 12, are positioned on the face of each jaw I6 to deform the binding strapand sealing sleeve after the sealing sleeve has been applied to the strap, thereby producing a strong and rigid joint. The lower end of theactuating slide 68 has a slot 236 formed therein to receive, the two links 62 which operably connect the slide 68 with the sealing jaws 10. These links are pivotally secured in the slot 238 by a pin 232 which passes through coaxial holes formed in the slide 68 and the links 62. Each link connects the slide with the pair of levers 228 attached to one of the jaws l and is retained to the levers by a pin 2l8. Each of the pins 2l8 has a head which fits into a counter-bored hole in the outer face of one of the levers 228 and is retained in position by a split ring.

Referring now to Figs, 13 and 14, it may be seen that as the slide 68 moves downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 13 to the position shown in Fig. 14, the links 62 cause the two pairs of levers 226 to separate, thereby moving the faces of the sealing jaws 16 toward each other. As is seen in Fig. 14, the links 62 exert a sort of toggle action on the levers 228 as the jaws close, thereby increasing the force exerted upon the levers 226. Thus, a relatively small movement of the slide causes the jaws '18 to bend the seal around the strap, and as the slide moves farther and the strap deforming lugs 228 come in contact with the sides of the strap, the force exerted by the sealing jaws 18 increases greatly to deform the strap.

After the strap has been deformed to produce the joint, the handle 28 may be rotated in a clockwise direction. This causes the pinion 56 tomove the slide upwardly sufficiently to separate the jaws so that they may be removed from the newly formed joint. Before the jaws have separated enough to allow them to withdraw from the strap, the detent p ns I82 engage the side plates 96 of the auxiliary frame 56, causing the handle to carry the auxiliary frame with it as it is rotated farther. The auxiliary frame 58 rotates away from the strap until the stop washer H2 comes into contact with the base 30. Further rotation of the handle 28 then causes the seal feeding mechanism to feed a seal to the jaws, as is hereinafter described in detail.

The seal feeding mechanism As is shown in Fig. 3, the seal magazine frame 88 encloses a plurality of channel shaped sheet metal sleeves 54 superimposed upon each other. As is shown in Fig. 15, the seals are guided by tracks 234 formed in the corners of the magazine frame 86. The follower 84 slides within the magazine frame and retains the sleeves in the bottom portion thereof. One end of a flat metal tape 236 is fastened to the follower 84 by a pin 238,

and the other end of the tape 236 is coiled around the magazine and thereby feeding the sleeves 64 toward the bottom thereof.

One of a pair of ejector levers 8! is secured to each side of the magazine frame 66 by one of a pair of pivot bolts 242. The lower end of each ejector lever 8| has a generally elliptical hole 244 formed therein. As is shown in Fig. 16, an ejector [8 slides across the bottom of the magazine in a pair of tracks 246. A pair of ejector actuating lugs 248, similar in cross section to the holes 244, extend through slots 256, one in each side of the magazine frame 88 and parallel to the tracks 246. The ends of the lugs 248 extend through the holes 244 in the ejector levers 8|, and the portion of each lug which engages the sides of the corresponding hole 244 is of generally cylindrical cross section. The elliptical cross section of the lugs 248 prevents them from rotating in the slots 258 and permits the assembly of the ejector i8 and levers 8! by placing each lever 8| with the hole 244 registering with the end of the corresponding lug 248, moving the lever until the hole 244 is opposite the cylindrical portion of the lug, and then rotating the levers to their proper position and securing them by the bolts 242. The elliptical ends of the lugs 248 then extend across the holes 244 to retain the levers 8| to the ejector 18.

The frame 88 of the magazine has a shelf 25:! integrally formed therewith to engage the ejector spring 82. A pin 254 secures the end of a guide rod 256 in a hole in the shelf 252 of slightly greater diameter than the rod 256, so that the rod 256 is free to tilt with respect to the magazine frame 86. The rod 256 passe through the center of the ejector spring 82 to retain it in its proper position.

The ejector actuating spacer I6 is interposed between and pivotally secured to the ejector levers 8!. A hole 258 in thespacer 76 receives the guide rod 256. The ejector spring 62 is held in compression between the shelf 252 and the spacer "l6 and is of sufiicient strength tocause the ejector levers 6| to move the ejector 18 toward the sealing jaws 18 with a guide snapping action. As the operating slide 68 moves downwardly in the auxiliary frame 56, the abutment 14 carried thereby engages the spacer 16 to slide it downwardly on the rod 256, thereby compressin the spring 82 and moving the ejector 18 to a position beneath the spool 24!! and out of engagement with the bottom seal in the magazine.

Referring to Figs. 3, 12, 13, 14, and 17, the magazine gate guidin spacer I68 is interposed between the sides of the magazine frame til. This spacer has a slot 259 formed therein to receive the magazine gate 66 and to provide a, tongue 268 for guiding the gate 66. The gate 66 has a channel formed in one side thereof, and this channel receives the tongue 266 of the spacer I66. The magazine gate slides upwardly and downwardly to control the ejection of sleeves from the magazine opening 12. The sealing jaws l6 carry a pair of pins 262 which are inserted in holes 264 formed in the jaw frames, and the ends thereof extend through the jaw frames and are peened to hold the pins 262 in place. The central portion of each of these pins 262 is enlarged in diameter to form two shoulders which rest against each sealing jaw frame and against the magazine gate 66, respectively. The tip of each pin 262 is 01 a reduced diameter and extends into one of a pair of holes 266 formed in the gate 66. Inasmuch as the movement of the pins is arcuate while the movement of the gate is rectilinear, the holes 264 must be of a largerdiameter than the tips of the pins 252 to accommodate the movement of the pins 262 inwardly and outwardly with respect to the axis of the gate 66. The difiference'in size between the holes 264 and the tips of the pins 2&2 causes lost motion so that the gate 66 will not be withdrawn from the magazine opening 12 sufflciently to allow a seal to be ejected from the magazine until the sealing jaws lil are in a position to receive the seal.

The lower end 68 of the slide 66 is beveled and sharpened to act as a chisel. When the jaws have closed sufiicientlv to deform the st ap, the pins 262 move the sl ding gate firmly into contact with the upper surface of the strap being joined, and the pressure exerted on the gate 65 by the handle is sufficient to cut a kerf across the surface of the overly ng portion of the strap.

When the auxiliary frame 5'! has been rnoved. away from the strap. t e overlying st ap nd may be bent upwardly and caused to break along this kerf.

When the eje tor 8 has been mo d ut of en.-

gagement with the lower seal in the ma az ne' the tape 235 d aws the ma azi e ollow r M downwardly to cau e th ed es of th lowe s l to press aga nst a p ir of l ps 2 formed n the bottom of the magazine f ame iii) and shown Fig. 16. When t e gate 66 covers t e ma az ne openin 12. a d th e ector actu t g a utment M has been wit drawn from contact with the spacer 16. a notch 2!!! formed in the nose of t e ejector 18 enga s the top of the lowest sleeve and holds it firrnlv a ainst the sides of the chan nel formed on the surface of t e gate 66. T e ejector 18 is prevented from moving to the right to eject the sleeve by the stiffness of the sleeve itself. When the handl 2!! is moved in a clockwise direction, the detent pins 82 come into contact with the sides of the auxiliary frame 50. and exert a force which tends to rotate the frame iiii away from the st ap which has been joined.

After the handle has been rotated suliiciently to release the jaws from the strap and one side of the auxiliary frame has come into contact with the stop washer Hi! on the pawl pin ill], further movement of the handle causes it to rotate about the bolt 54, opening the jaws: sufficiently to withdraw the sliding gate 66 from the magazine opening 12 sufficientlyto allow the ejec tor spring 82 to rotate the ejector levers BI and cause the ejector 78 to snapa sealing sleeve 64 into the position between the sealing jaws Ml as is shown in Fig. 13.

The front end of the ejector i8 is beveled upward from the tip thereof. As the ejector 18 moves across the bottom of the seal magazine, this beveled surface engages the seal immediately above the seal being ejected to raise all the seals in the magazine against the action of the follower 84.

As is shown in Fig. l, the magazine follower 84 has a finger hole 2H formed therein, and this hole is easily accessible through slots 212 formed in both sides of the ejector-frame 89. Thus the operator may insert his fingers through the slots 212 into the hole 21H to withdraw the follower 84 so that the magazine may be refilled. As is shown in Fig. 3, the upper end of the end wall of the magazine has a notch 214 formed therein, and the follower 84 may be convenientlyretained against the outside of the end wall of the magathestrap ends. 5 strap loop about the package by reciprocating zine with the metal tape 23% extending through this slot while the magazine is being loaded.

Briefly summarized, the normal operation of the tool is as follows:

The operator loops the binder strap about th package to be bound and with the ends of the loop overlapping, rests the tool upon the package with the actuating handle and auxiliary frame with its magazineand sealing mechanism in the position shown by the full lines of Fig. 1. The feed wheel control handle 32 is in the position shown in Fig. 1 so that the feed wheels are separated from the gripper 26 to full open position andwith' the strap retaining dog 40 openthe control lever, feedwheels and retaining dog being held in this position against the tension of their biasing springs by the latch 28. The

operator may now insert the overlapping ends of thebinder strap loop laterally into the tool. When the strap ends are in place, the operator depresses the latch 28 which releases the feed wheels to enable them to engage the top strap and releases the retaining dog 40 to overlie Now the operator tensions the handle 20 through a range whose limits are represented by the full and the dot-dash lines of Fig. 1. When the desired tension is attained in the package encircling binder loop, the operator moves the actuating handle 20 from the dot-dash line position of Fig. 1, where the auxiliary frame is in proper joint forming position, to the full line position of Fig. 2. In this range of movement of the actuating handle 28, which then pivots about shaft 54, instead of shaft H2, the sealing jaws are caused to move together to deform the seal and overlapping strap ends into a tension resisting joint and the ejector is moved back ready to feed the next or bottom seal from the magazine into the jaws. After the joint is completed, the handle is moved back to the position shown by full lines in Fig. 1. This movement opens the jaws ready to take the next seal but the ejector remains inactive, although biased forwardly by its spring 82, until the jaws are fully opened and the gate 66 is withdrawn, whereupon the next seal is snapped into place between the jaws ready to be carried to the work when I the actuating handle is again swung to the dotdash position shown in Fig. 1. The feed wheel control lever 32 is now moved from the full line position in Fig. 2 tothe full line position of Fig. l and held there by the retaining latch 28. This movement of the control lever 32 separates the feed wheel from the strap and withdraws the holding dog 40 so that the tool may be removed laterally from the tightly tensioned package encircling loop of binder strap. Finally the run of strap to the supply thereof is sharply bent where the gate 66 scored it so as to completely sever the package loop from the source of strap supply. The tool is now in condition to be applied to another package for a repetition of the operations just described.

While I have disclosed my invention in connection with a particular embodiment thereof, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, that numerous departures may be made from theconstruction disclosed without departing from the underlying principles of my invention.

It is therefore my wish to include within the scope of the following claims all such constructions by which substantially the results of my invention may be obtained by substantially the same or equivalent means.

I claim:

1. A package-binding tool of the type wherein a main frame for resting on a package to be bound carries a strap tensioning mechanism and a pivoted auxiliary frame carrying a pair of pivoted sealing jaws and a seal magazine, and wherein a single actuating handle pivoted to the auxiliary frame actuates the tensioning mechanism when operated through one range of movement and when operated through another range of movement swings the sealing jaws with a seal therebetween into sealing position relative to the tensioned binder strap and then deforms the seal and strap to form a joint connecting them, characterized by a slide movably mounted in the auxiliary frame and connected to the sealing jaws to open and close the same, a rack and pinion connection between the slide and the actuating handle whereby the handle can advance the slide to close the jaws to form a joint'and retract the to project a seal from the magazine, means on the slide for tensioning the ejector actuating spring whenthe handleis moved to sealing position, and a gate operatively connected to one close and to be withdrawn from that path when the jaws are fully opened.

2. A package-binding tool of the type wherein a main frame for resting on a package to be bound carries a strap tensioning mechanism and a pivoted auxiliary frame carrying a pair of pivoted sealing jaws and a seal magazine, and wherein a single actuating handle pivoted to the auxiliary frame actuates the tensioning mechanism when operated through one range of movement and when operated through another range of movement swings the sealing jaws with a seal therebetween into sealing position relative to the tensioned binder strap and then deforms the seal and strap to form a joint connecting them, characterized by a sliding gate which is interposed in the path of seal movement from the magazine when the sealing jaws are closed and is withdrawn from that path when the jaws are fully opened, an operative connection between one of the jaws and the gate, a seal ejector for 5 projecting seals from the magazine, a spring for biasing the ejector to project the seals from the magazine, and operative connections between the actuating handle and the jaws and ejector biasing spring.

JOHN H. LESLIE, II. 

